When a photovoltaic panel or laminate is exposed to direct or diffuse light, a lethal voltage potential may be present. In the United States the possible voltage could be as high as 600 volts, while in Europe and the rest of the world this voltage could approach a kilovolt.
Because of this potential danger from electrical shock, solar panel manufacturers and code and standards development organizations have made some recommendations to minimize or eliminate this danger.
One suggestion has been to cover the photovoltaic panel with an opaque material such as a tarpaulin. However, this approach proposes its own safety risk from having the wind catch the tarpaulin and pull installation personnel off the roof as they try to control the unstable sheet material against the wind.
Another recommendation is to install and/or service the photovoltaic panels at night when there is minimal risk of the panels being energized. This approach presents the potential safety risks associated from working in a poorly lighted environment.
In addition to the potential personnel safety issues there are also significant risks to equipment and hardware. Connecting or disconnecting energized plugs can cause arcing and damage to these connectors, junction boxes, and other electrical components.
Solar system installers take a large guard band (or safety margin) to make sure the voltages don't cross the 600V or 1000V limits in the United States and the European Union, respectively. That limitation inhibits them from installing more solar panel modules, often referred to as “modules” or “panels,” in series to reduce the cost of combiner boxes or string inverters. When solar modules are connected in series or in mesh configurations, there can be a problem in which weaker modules not only produce less energy but also affect other modules' capabilities to deliver energy in the same string or wiring section.
In solar panel installations it is often desirable to have additional safety for the operating environment and for personnel involved with maintenance, etc. Of particular concern are certain portions of the wiring. If certain wires are disconnected, through theft, vandalism, accident, natural forces, or any other cause, voltages may rise to an unacceptable, even dangerous, level.
In addition to locally generated problems that can affect the safety of the system and or people working at or near the system, other, more regionally created problems may cause safety issues, including, for example, floods, forest fires or neighborhood fires, earthquakes, landslides, etc.